Emotional McLane prepares to end 19-year run as Astros owner

MILWAUKEE — Drayton McLane fought a swirl of emotions Wednesday as he went about the final formalities of turning over the Astros, the baseball team he has owned for 19 years, to Jim Crane.

“Kind of sad,” McLane said. “I’ve done this for 19 years, and I can remember how elated I was when it started. This has been a wonderful, wonderful ride.”

If all goes as planned, McLane will exit Minute Maid Park sometime early next week. On Wednesday, he introduced Crane to dozens of baseball people, then presented him to Major League Baseball’s ownership committee, which then reported to the game’s executive council.

Crane’s purchase is expected to be approved during a meeting of all 30 MLB owners, and the sale will be formally closed early next week.

Surrounded by other owners, club executives and assorted staffers in a crowded hotel lobby, McLane said there have been times the last few days when he has had trouble comprehending how quickly 19 years passed.

“One of the strange things is I’m one of the older owners,” he said. “There are only seven or eight who have been here longer than I have. There has been a world of turnover.”

McLane declined to discuss specifics of the $680 million deal, including what amounts a $70 million rebate Crane is getting for moving the Astros to the American League in 2013.

Crane and McLane both fought the league switch when it was first presented to them, agreeing only after MLB said it was the only way the sale would be approved.

“Well,” McLane said, “the commissioner (Bud Selig) did not consult me on this one. He said that when you look at the other teams in the National League Central, they’re kind of grouped here in the Midwest. And so here we go.

“Change has been part of my life and what I’ve tried to do. Now that I have accepted it, I think it’s going to be interesting to see the American League teams come in, and it won’t be bad seeing all those games between the Rangers and Astros.”

Baseball can’t force sitting owners to change leagues. When asked what he would have done if MLB had asked him to move, McLane smiled.

“That’s a question I won’t have to answer,” he said. “I would have considered it. Ultimately, they needed it.”

Crane declined comment until after the vote.

“He’s very excited,” McLane said. “It’s like, ‘Wow. What did I just do?’ I think he’ll be very good. I introduced him to a number of the owners. He handled himself very, very well. He’s an experienced businessman. I think he’s ready. He’ll be a very good owner, a very responsible owner.”